Skelos: We Need More Info On Development Councils

Senate Republicans seem to be using the economic development councils supported by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as a bargaining tool in the budget process.

Or they think legislators would be better off controlling the $130 million that is budgeted for the councils.

The GOP budget would take the money to be distributed by councils, which will be led by Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, and put it into a capital fund.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos faced questions over why the Senate moved $130 million to fund Cuomo’s proposed regional economic development councils into a budget that is used for capital improvements, which has on occasion been used for pork-barrel spending.

Skelos said there wasn’t enough information on the councils in order to fund them properly.

“It’s lack of information,” he said. Who is going to be making appointments? What’s the allocation for this funding?”

Skelos said the $130 million Cuomo wants the councils to distribute would still be used for economic development under the Senate’s plan.

“This is what we’re exploring now with our conference committees who like the idea of local input, but we do need more information,” he said.